Dear members of the list,
Assalamu Alaikum.I am sending the above article along with the comment of a
lecturer of Darul Ihsan nUniversity, Dhaka.
Shah Abdul Hannan
----- Original Message -----
From: Kaniz Fatima
To: sahannan
Sent: Monday, August 29, 2005 11:46 PM
Subject: Re: MUSLIM WOMEN IN ISLAM
I went through the writing and found it a good piece to read. I very much agree
with the writer's criticism about typical feminist movement which wants to
refute the laws of nature regarding gender function. The writer demands 'men
and women should have identical positions, not identical functions.' The
western feminist movements emphasize on "gender equality" but we (Muslims) work
for "gender equity". It is true that the feminist movement which is funded or
patronized by the West cannot bring very good results for women empowerment in
South Asia because they usually work for the interest of western views but not
(actually) for solving women problems. To solve women's problems in this
region we have to bring religion and socio-economic condition in our
account.There is a general notion that feminism means conflict with religion.
Writer has opposed this by saying 'separating religion and genuine spiritual
sensitivities from the entire process, ..., would make even such heavily-funded
movements susceptible to failure.' We have to be very careful that feminist
movement must not create conflict between men and women.
Finally the writer demands State intervention and a course of evaluation of
NGOs activities who are working on this issue.
I cannot fully agree with one thing he quoted from a student of a college- "No
doubt man is dominating the world but he is not to be blamed for the present
condition of women. Woman, I believe, is herself responsible for it.
Psychologically speaking, isn't it a truth that it is a mother who actually
imbibes a sense of inferiority in her girl-child and very visibly discriminates
her against her son?"- I must admit that women is partially
responsible/blameworthy (more precisely we can say victim), but to my view, man
is responsible too. I also believe the responsibility on men's side is bigger.
Kaniz Fatima
----- Original Message -----
From: Chowdhury
To: History_Discussion
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2005 9:51 AM
Subject: [history_islam] MUSLIM WOMEN IN ISLAM
MUSLIM WOMEN IN ISLAM
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Not by Rejecting Womanhood
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Feminist Agenda
Not by Rejecting Womanhood
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Feminist agenda bristles with contradictions and rejects cultural
sensitivities in South Asia, argues Arjimand Hussain Talib
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FOR many of us involved with feminist studies and research, getting an
insight into the level of consciousness among Muslim women in India about their
spiritual and socio-economic status through their views, especially articulated
on a stage, is quite rare. The point that has to be fairly acknowledged is that
in the Muslim societies that are yet to see typical feminist movements, there
is a widespread perception that although there is a need to make an end to
violence against and unjust treatment of women, the laws of nature delineating
various gender functions must not be challenged. And that is what was the crux
of the views that the students of the Government College for Women, Srinagar,
articulated overwhelmingly in a symposium on "Women's Empowerment" organised
last month on the eve of the college's golden jubilee. To quote a few views
here would not be out of context.
"I believe men and women should have identical positions, not identical
functions. Let us not defy nature in analyzing gender justice. To clarify, I
would draw an analogy between a family and a plant. If all parts of a plant
start doing photosynthesis, including its root, would the plant survive for too
long?
Feminists oppose subordination of women but do nothing to end beauty
contests that satisfy only the male voyeurism.
We girls should not just stress whether we roam as our brothers do, rather we
should ask whether our individuality carries equal weight as that of our
brothers.
Just a casual look into our surroundings would reveal how this market-driven
world under the guise of modelling, VJ presentation, beauty contests, freedom
of expression is actually heaping insult on womanhood." Ajudged second best
speaker.
"No doubt man is dominating the world but he is not to be blamed for the
present condition of women. Woman, I believe, is herself responsible for it.
Psychologically speaking, isn't it a truth that it is a mother who actually
imbibes a sense of inferiority in her girl-child and very visibly discriminates
her against her son ? The answer is undeniably—yes. And you know when this
girl-child becomes a mother she does the same. This vicious circle continues.
The student who got the first prize.
"My dear students, we women are no doubt intellectually very much identical
to men, but we cannot demand equality. Demanding equality would mean
challenging the Almighty God. After all, man is our protector. He is the one
who guards us against many evils." (Cheers from the audience). What is
significant is that notwithstanding a reasonable awareness of the feminist
movements, their modus operandi of the "mitigation of women's problems"
actually rejects the notion of equality as undermining the essence of womanhood
and family.
Although many women in South Asia today are seen to have evolved a
stereotypical image of an idealistic "feminist" but it has been quite often
found that there is a vast ignorance about the dimensions that the feminist
movement has achieved. This is also true about Kashmir in some instances. The
movement that should have focused on improving the condition of women in this
part of the world, unfortunately having been flooded by western funds, has
become a kind of puppetry, whose actions are dictated from the West in total
neglect of the ground realities in South Asia. This, far from creating a
genuine space for itself in the socio-cultural structures of the South Asian
society, has sown the seeds of a new kind of conflict, that is seeing the
political Right-wings of these countries caught in a battle of attrition with
the feminist struggle.
Going by the level of ignorance about the implicit agenda of the feminist
movement, a need is definitely there to quote some modern feminist writings.
Empowering women should not mean urging men to 'mother' the children.
Today, feminists have gone beyond demanding mere legal reforms to end
discrimination. A few quotes from a feminist publication: "Feminism now
includes the struggle against subordination to the male within the home;
against their exploitation by the family, against their low status at work, in
society and in the culture and religion of the country; and against their
double burden in production and reproduction. Feminists are fighting for a
society where a woman has the freedom to choose, where she is not forced to be
a housewife, where she is not pushed into typically "feminine" roles and
low-paid feminine jobs and where she is treated with respect.
We reject male-female polarity and male-female stereotypes. Every girl should
have the freedom and opportunity to do what she wants to do and to be what she
is capable of becoming. Just because she is born a girl, dolls, pots and pans
should not be her only toys; dresses which don't allow her to move limbs freely
should not be her only clothes; nor should she be confined to the four walls of
a home, pushed into home-science courses, or forced to be subdued in order to
adjust to her husband's family, etc.
After all, a man's house is his castle, let him clean it. Statistics
collected not by feminists but by our governments and UN bodies show us that
the family is perhaps the most unsafe place for girls and women.
Feminists are not against women having children, but we do not consider
motherhood to be every woman's destiny, nor do we equate womanhood with
motherhood. We feel that although only a woman can bear a child, anyone
(including a man) can bring it up, or mother it.
Most women, however, see motherhood as their destiny, but this is due both to
the lack of alternatives and to a glorification of motherhood.
Women are admired for their ability and desire to sacrifice, to suffer and
live for others. This has been a psychological trap for women. In fact if
sacrificing our lives for others is superior to all other activities, then we
women should unselfishly give men the opportunity to experience motherhood,
sharing and caring! So, the ability and capacity to mother is not necessarily
natural, that is, it is not biologically determined!"
(Some Questions on Feminism and their Relevance in South Asia, Kamla Bhasin &
Nighat Khan, Kali for Women, 1999).
The views quoted above would easily establish that, although most of the
literature produced on feminism in South Asia is attributed to local writers,
the writings are totally out of South Asian context.
And one should not miss to observe the wide contradictions in the "feminist
agenda".
Of late, feminists have launched campaigns against the baby food industry,
for instance. They say men too can mother a child. So, in the absence of
baby-food would a father now have to 'biologically alter' himself to produce
milk?
They say they are against pornography and depiction of women as sex objects.
Indeed, a noble stand. Would the feminists be initiate any concrete action to
stop this beauty pageants? They have even advocated for clothes in which they
can move their limbs freely. Could even a single feminist be able to persuade a
beauty contestant to put proper clothes? Not to speak of others, Kali for Women
itself has been against contraceptives. They say motherhood is not the destiny
of womanhood, so what about the children produced in their absence?
Most of the serious thinkers on the subject approve of the need to have
women's movements seeking end of women's hardships of the women who are victims
of male chauvinism, an enlarged participation in State's policy making
processes for their empowerment, and also to end unjust suppression and
silence. However, separating religion and genuine spiritual sensitivities from
the entire process, most people agree, would make even such heavily-funded
movements susceptible to failure.
The outright rejection of religion and local customs and traditions-that have
a strong influence on the lives of women- has made the initiatives of women's
empowerment largely ineffective and long-drawn processes. And that is the
reason that despite a heavy flow of funds groups dealing with women's issues
have not been able to make any big difference.
The wide and visible contradictions in the "feminist agenda" and its failure
in bringing about a change in the lives of the suppressed and financially week
women in South Asia, I believe, need a State intervention and of course an
evaluation process of their working. This may raise voices dubbing the exercise
as undermining the freedom of NGOs. However, the deviations that most of the
feminist NGOs have had, creating new kinds of conflict, must be looked into.
After all, the NGOs addressing women's issues genuinely and sincerely without
taking their fund-managers' diktats are also losing their credibility in the
process. The process of women's empowerment must not be confused with actions
creating socio-cultural and religious divides and conflicts. And that is the
crux of my argument.
(The writer heads the United Mission Foundation, Srinagar.)
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom
(i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue
with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone
astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.}
(Holy Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in
His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites
(men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I
am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if
Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of
camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever
calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who
follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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